ATLANTA — Georgia State’s 2018 football season is officially underway as the Panthers opened preseason drills with a Wednesday morning workout.

Intermittent rain didn’t dampen the mood at the GSU Practice Complex.

"First days are always fun and exciting," head coach Shawn Elliott said as he enters his second season at the helm. "You get to get out here and do what you haven’t done in a long time as a whole group.

"Overall, it was a good day. Of course, being the first day there are a lot of things we’ve got to clean up and a lot of things we can improve on, but a lot of good things. Step by step, every day."

The Panthers open the 2018 season four weeks from tomorrow, hosting Atlanta-area foe and 2017 FCS quarterfinalist Kennesaw State on Thursday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. at Georgia State Stadium. The game will air on ESPN+.

Today’s workout is the first of 25 preseason practices for the 105 players in camp. Per NCAA rules, the first two practices are in shorts and helmets only, the third and fourth days are shoulder pads and shorts, and the first practice in pads next Tuesday.

Georgia State looks to build on the momentum of last season’s strong finish, which produced the program’s first winning season (7-5) at the FBS level and first bowl victory, a 27-17 win over Western Kentucky in the AutoNation Cure Bowl.

“This past season I feel like we did very well, but our mindset now is just focusing on going forward and reaching new goals and being able to take it day by day," senior linebacker Chase Middleton said. "We are just focusing on this upcoming season and focusing on Kennesaw State coming up.”

Wide receiver Penny Hart, the preseason All-America, added, "I’m definitely excited to start practice, to work with our new team and see what is new with our schemes and whatever we have to do to be successful this season.

"I want to continue to progress as a man, as a better teammate and a better player and just to get improve each and every year."

Season tickets for Panthers’ the six-game home schedule at GSU Stadium begin as low as $100. Single-game tickets range from $20 to $25 per game, while group ticket packages are available for groups of 10 more ranging from $10 to $15 per game.

Fans can purchase tickets online at GeorgiaStateSports.com/TIX or by calling the ticket office at 404-413-4020 (M-F, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.).